Lawmakers Probe Release Discrepancies as NEPAD Secures 2026 Budget Approval
The National Assembly Joint Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa/NEPAD has approved the 2025 budget performance of the NEPAD Agency after subjecting its financial records and implementation claims to detailed scrutiny.
The approval followed a motion moved and seconded by committee members during a joint budget defence session held on Wednesday. However, the endorsement came with strong reservations, as lawmakers demanded clarification over discrepancies in the agency’s reported utilisation of funds.
Central to the debate was the agency’s claim of “nil utilisation” despite acknowledging a 24 per cent capital release. Committee members challenged the assertion, citing several budget lines that showed partial spending, including N15 million out of N50 million, N19 million out of N300 million, N22.5 million out of N75 million, and N60 million out of N200 million. Lawmakers argued that these figures clearly indicated some level of utilisation.
Responding to the concerns, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria, Hon. Jabiru Salisu Abdullahi Tsauri, explained that the 24 per cent referenced an administrative release under a 30 per cent tranche agreement between the Executive and the National Assembly, but which was not fully cash-backed for project execution.
Tsauri revealed that the agency had written to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation regarding a six per cent shortfall and other funding gaps that hindered implementation.
Unsatisfied with verbal explanations alone, the committee directed NEPAD to submit all supporting documentation within 48 hours, including correspondence and letters of instruction relating to the capital releases.
Beyond the 2025 performance review, lawmakers also examined the agency’s 2026 budget proposal, raising concerns over vague descriptions of several zonal intervention projects. They observed that some line items lacked clear project locations and detailed cost breakdowns, which they said could undermine transparency and accountability.
The committee instructed the agency to revise and resubmit the proposal with clearer project details to strengthen legislative oversight.
Compliance with the federal character principle also featured prominently during the session. A review of the agency’s nominal roll suggested imbalances in staff representation. While Tsauri maintained that postings were handled by the Office of the Head of Service, the Human Resources representative acknowledged that the agency was not fully compliant.
Lawmakers emphasised that adherence to the federal character principle is mandatory for all federal institutions and urged NEPAD’s management to work with relevant authorities to address the disparities.
The committee also expressed support for a proposed bill to grant NEPAD full commission status, which would empower the agency to independently recruit and manage its personnel. Lawmakers pledged to prioritise the bill once formally presented.
Following deliberations, the committee approved NEPAD’s 2026 budget proposal of N9.52 billion, comprising N328.6 million for personnel costs, N549.8 million for overhead, and N8.64 billion for capital projects.
However, lawmakers cautioned the agency against committing to projects without confirmed fund releases and stressed the need for prudent financial management and enhanced transparency.
Speaking with journalists after the session, Tsauri described the approval of both the 2025 budget performance and the 2026 proposal as a reaffirmation of accountability mechanisms within government.
He acknowledged that funding delays remain a systemic challenge across ministries and agencies, noting that budgetary allocations must be supported by timely cash releases for effective implementation.
Tsauri commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s fiscal reforms aimed at improving funding efficiency, expressing optimism that ongoing measures would strengthen budget performance and implementation in the coming years.
